The Shining Wyrm

10.ii

My Dear Husband György,

It is good of you to temper your distrust of the sorcerers. Though you struggle I as always plead you try to remember it is not their fault. For it is the price the stars take from them in exchange for power. The Council of Sorcery across the realm are loyal to the King and will serve well.

It is good tidings that the war will swiftly be over, the girls and Imre miss their father terribly. You were already away for half a year in council with the king on this matter, and then another year in your investigations and marshaling of the army.

You are missing their best and brightest years in this. And though I know you do it out of love and just fury for the crimes committed against us please remember you have yet children that live and wish to know their father before they are fully grown.

Imre especially is growing bigger every day and he is nearly sure enough in standing now that I expect he will be walking and swinging a practice sword by the time you return from the campaign.

Also you have explained before that it is a clever reference to some provincial language or another spoken in the highlands, but is the name Ridgevaul really the best that could be made by the King for our new title and lands?

Surely something with a better pedigree would serve better?

Maybe the Kingdom of Aung Erie?

I can already hear the tittering of the ladies in court over the absurdity of the name. It is not the best start to a dynasty.

But as always I will endeavor to make do with what may.

I will do my best dear husband.

As to your concerns of the domain fret not, I have it in hand as well as I did in my last letter.

The weather stayed fair for the grain in all but the south-easternmost lands where the wet forced a harvest.

The concerns of Árva and the demesne in particular otherwise are good, the baronies report heavy yields even where rain interfered and the merchant’s guild here in the capital is docile for once over the tax on their goods.

I have already given all of our and your daughters your love and promises of gifts and especially promised Imre his father would bring him a special trophy from the war.

Please find something suitably impressive amidst the spoils for him as well as baubles for the girls.

Your Wife.

Your Steward of Árva and Countess.

Erzsébet Czobor

- A Letter from Countess Erzsébet Czobor of Árva to Count György Thurzó of Árva